American Airlines Awards Return to Iberia Website, Sweet Spots Available Again
When booking an award flight, points and miles gurus know not to automatically redeem miles on the airline operating the flight. There's usually a cheaper way to book through a partner program. For example, instead of paying 12,500 United miles for a domestic United flight, you can pay as little as 6,500 LifeMiles (or even fewer if you snag a discounted award). Or, you can book AA awards to Hawaii for just 13,000 British Airways Avios instead of paying 22,500 AA miles.
One of the sweet spots for booking domestic American Airlines awards is through a program few may think of: Iberia Plus Avios. The trouble is that AA awards haven't been bookable through Iberia since early June.
After writing up the new Iberia Avios buy points promotion on Wednesday, I figured that it'd be a good time to check in with Iberia on the situation. Whether it was my media request or just good timing on my part, an Iberia spokesperson shared some good news Friday morning. The technical issue has been resolved and American Airlines award flights are now bookable again through Iberia Plus.
Sure enough, American Airlines awards are back to their former glory on Iberia's website:
For those unfamiliar with Iberia Avios, let's go over the basics on why many of us are celebrating this.
Rather than having a region-based award chart like American Airlines, Iberia prices awards based on the flight mileage with round-trip AA awards starting as low as 11,000 Avios. That's less than the standard one-way AA domestic award rate of 12,500 miles. Here's how the American Airlines award chart breaks down:
| Distance (round-trip) | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
1 - 600 | 11,000 | 22,000 | 33,000 |
601 - 1,000 | 12,000 | 24,000 | 36,000 |
1,001 - 2,000 | 17,000 | 34,000 | 51,000 |
2,001 - 4,000 | 23,000 | 46,000 | 69,000 |
4,001 - 5,000 | 28,000 | 64,000 | 96,000 |
5,001 - 8,000 | 42,000 | 100,000 | 150,000 |
8,001 - 12,400 | 65,000 | 150,000 | 225,000 |
12,401 - 14,000 | 75,000 | 175,000 | 262,500 |
There are plenty of sweet spots available at the 17,000 Avios. For example, TPG Senior Editor Nick Ewen got over 4 cents per Avios on a last-minute work trip in December 2018:
But Iberia is especially helpful for short connecting itineraries. Unlike British Airways Avios, Iberia doesn't care if you have to connect. Iberia prices awards by the total flight mileage instead of segment-by-segment. That makes Iberia great for those that can't avoid a connection to get where they need to go.
For example, when I lived in Austin, I used Iberia awards for award flights to visit my sister in Birmingham, Alabama. The 1,574-mile round-trip journey would cost 25k AA miles, 30k British Airways Avios or just 17k Iberia Avios. The slightly-higher taxes and fees were more than made up by the mileage difference.
Another example that I booked and flew at the end of 2018: American Airlines award flights for 17,000 Avios per person for an itinerary for which AA was simultaneously charging 80,000 AAdvantage miles:
There's one major limitation to keep in mind: one-way awards on American Airlines aren't bookable using Iberia Avios — although it was possible for a very short period in Nov. 2018. If you search a one-way award, you'll get an error that "no availability has been found for the selected journey" even if there's award availability for that date.
If you don't have any Iberia Avios yet, there's ways for you to get them without having to fly the Spanish airline or credit Oneworld flights to Iberia Plus. Iberia is a transfer partner of:
- American Express Membership Rewards points (1:1, 48-hour transfer time in TPG testing)
- British Airways Avios (1:1, instant transfer time but subject to limitations)
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points (1:1, instant transfer time)
- Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 with a 5,000-mile bonus for transferring 60k points, 24-hour transfer time)
If you want a step-by-step guide on how to transfer Chase Ultimate Reward points to Iberia, we have just the guide for you.
If you're looking to transfer Amex points to Iberia and don't want to wait 48 hours, there's a faster workaround. Transfers from Amex to British Airways are instantaneous and transfers from British Airways to Iberia are also instantaneous.
However, there are some limitations to this transfer. Both your British Airways and Iberia accounts must have been opened for at least 90 days and have had some sort of activity. Also, you need to make sure your personal information is listed identically in both carriers’ systems before you’re allowed to transfer between accounts. Your birth date, email address and name all have to match exactly before the transfer can occur.
If you don't have any points/miles that you can transfer to Iberia — or you want to save them for higher-value redemptions — you can currently buy Iberia Avios for just 1.35 cents each. That's less than TPG's valuation of 1.5 cents per Iberia Avios.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.